Project SHAGUN: Restoring Dignity Through Dowry-Free Mass Marriages
Introduction
In India, marriage symbolises unity, mutual respect, and the start of a prosperous new chapter. Yet, for countless women from marginalised communities, marriage often translates into vulnerability, exploitation, and financial distress. Recognising this profound social challenge, Ladli Foundation’s Project SHAGUN is dedicated to transforming marriage from a societal burden into a source of empowerment, dignity, and lifelong security.
Understanding the Social Crisis
For many underprivileged families, the joyous occasion of marriage is overshadowed by daunting financial obligations. Traditional marriages typically involve significant expenditures related to dowry, rituals, and ceremonies, forcing families into debt or delays that risk exposing women to trafficking, exploitation, and domestic violence. These financial burdens disproportionately affect women, limiting their opportunities for education, economic independence, and social advancement.
Vulnerabilities Faced by Women
Dowry-related Abuse: Wider adoption of refurbished digital devices to minimize electronic waste.
Human Trafficking: Wider adoption of refurbished digital devices to minimize electronic waste.
Child Marriage: Wider adoption of refurbished digital devices to minimize electronic waste.
Domestic Violence: Wider adoption of refurbished digital devices to minimize electronic waste.
Vision Behind Project SHAGUN
Shagun goes beyond merely organizing mass weddings—it is a comprehensive approach that focuses on the safety, empowerment, and well-being of the women involved. Our actions include :
Launched as Ladli Foundation’s flagship initiative, Project SHAGUN has a clear vision: to protect vulnerable women by organizing mass marriages that are entirely dowry-free, legally binding, and socially dignified. Through this unique approach, SHAGUN aims not just to facilitate marriages but to empower women through education, skill training, healthcare access, and robust legal support
The SHAGUN Model: A Holistic, Empowerment-Centric Approach
1. Dowry-Free Mass Marriages
Project SHAGUN organises large-scale wedding ceremonies, eliminating the financial burden that often leads to unsafe or delayed marriages. Events are hosted at religious and community venues in Delhi, Gurugram, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and other states
Each wedding includes:
Bridal attire, religious rituals and legal registration
Travel and accommodation for families
Community feasts and celebratory events
2. Thorough Groom Verification
Ensuring the safety and future of brides is a top priority. Project SHAGUN conducts detailed background checks in collaboration with local police, community elders, and legal authorities. Checks include:
Identity and address verification
Criminal history screenings
Social references and community approval
This rigorous vetting safeguards women against future exploitation and abuse, significantly reducing risks associated with unsafe marriages.
3. Post-Marriage Empowerment Programs
Project SHAGUN emphasizes lifelong empowerment, providing women access to resources beyond the marriage ceremony, including:
Vocational Training: Programs in tailoring, advanced computer skills, English communication, and other employable skills.
Education Support: Facilitation for women to continue or resume education, enabling them to achieve academic milestones post-marriage.
Financial Literacy: Workshops on budgeting, banking basics, saving techniques, and financial planning.
Legal Aid: Assistance in navigating legal systems to protect against dowry-related harassment, domestic violence, and exploitation.
Healthcare Services: Health insurance schemes covering maternity and essential healthcare for women.
Impact in Numbers
Since its inception, Project SHAGUN has empowered over 2,067 women. Each of these success stories represents a woman who stepped into a life of dignity, free from the burden of dowry and the fear of exploitation.
Highlights include:
Events with over 175 couples married in a single ceremony
100% background verification for grooms across all events
Preventive support in thousands of cases of early marriage, dowry-related abuse, and human trafficking
Hundreds of brides enrolled in skill development programs post-marriage
This scale of impact has been made possible through structured operations, strategic partnerships, and community trust.
Real Stories, Real Change
"Nandini, from a low-income family in Delhi, faced delayed marriage due to financial constraints and dowry demands. Through Project SHAGUN, she was married with full dignity and legal safeguards. Post-marriage, she enrolled in computer and English training supported by Ladli Foundation. Today, she is self-employed, running a home-based boutique and contributing to her household income. Nandini also mentors adolescent girls in her community, spreading awareness about dowry-free marriages and financial independence"
Nandini
📍 Delhi
"Pooja, of legal age at the time of her marriage, belonged to a vulnerable family in Bihar. SHAGUN enabled her to have a safe, dowry-free, and legally documented wedding. Rather than settling into traditional roles, she returned to school post-marriage and completed her education. With guidance and training from Ladli Foundation, she now teaches at a local NGO-run community school. Pooja’s story reflects how secure marriages can lay the groundwork for education and empowerment. These stories exemplify how marriage, when approached with support and foresight, can be a turning point in a woman's life."
Pooja
📍 Bihar
CSR Partnerships and Philanthropic Engagement
SHAGUN aligns closely with national and global development goals, particularly those focused on gender equality, women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation, and social inclusion. It provides a high-impact platform for CSR investment and philanthropic contributions.
Sponsorship Models
- Per Bride Sponsorship
Covers all expenses related to the wedding, legal services, skill training, and post-marital support.
- Mass Wedding Sponsorship
Enables sponsors to support ceremonies for 25–100 couples, inclusive of logistics, meals, and empowerment programs.
Enables sponsors to support ceremonies for 25–100 couples, inclusive of logistics, meals, and empowerment programs.
Community-Level Transformation
SHAGUN has not only improved the lives of individual women but also transformed the outlook of entire communities. Its long-term impact includes:
Reduced stigma around dowry-free marriages
Higher acceptance of skill training and legal support for women
Renewed trust in public institutions among slum-dwelling and rural populations
Prevention of hundreds of unsafe marriages through community education
By shifting the perception of marriage from an economic liability to a social celebration, SHAGUN fosters inclusivity and equality.
Challenges and How They Were Overcome
Launching a socially disruptive program like SHAGUN has not been without challenges:
Cultural Resistance: Reduced stigma around dowry-free marriages
Operational Complexity: Coordinating ceremonies for up to 175 couples requires meticulous planning. Standardized operations and a dedicated field team ensure smooth execution.
Risk of Misuse: Strict vetting protocols, legal documentation, and community monitoring prevent fraudulent intent and dowry abuse.
Through adaptive strategy and grassroots vigilance, Ladli Foundation has maintained the program’s integrity and impact.
Recognition and Media Coverage
Project SHAGUN has been featured in national and regional media and received accolades from:
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW)
Members of Parliament and district officials
Influential civil society and advocacy groups
This recognition has not only enhanced public awareness but also attracted new collaborators and supporters.
Vision for 2030
Ladli Foundation envisions expanding SHAGUN to reach over 20,000 women by 2030 through strategic scaling in vulnerable districts with high rates of child marriage and trafficking.
Key goals include:
Establishing district-level SHAGUN chapters across India
Deepening post-marriage services, including microfinance and entrepreneurship training
Creating digital platforms to monitor impact and share beneficiary journeys
This roadmap is aligned with India's national development agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Project SHAGUN is more than a marriage initiative—it is a movement for justice, equality, and empowerment. It demonstrates how traditional values can coexist with modern safeguards when anchored in compassion and integrity.
Ladli Foundation invites you to join hands in ensuring that no woman is ever married into vulnerability, but into dignity, safety, and opportunity.
Support SHAGUN. Sponsor dignity. Empower futures.
